CB360 Composite National Rankings #7 (3/28/18)

The current update to CB360’s exclusive Composite National Rankings (CNR) Top–50 – tabulated after games played on March 28 – features what likely is the closest 5-team cluster atop the CNR, in the 10-year history of these composite rankings. Only 0.64 points separates the #1 to #5 spots, in the 100-point scale, highlighted a virtual tie for the top position between Florida (94.08) and Stanford (94.05).

(Note – plenty of notes and breakdown lists included on this release page; scroll down … )

The balance of the current top-5 include Ole Miss (93.79) followed closely by Texas Tech (93.68) and then Oregon State (93.44), which ranks higher in the “human polls” but is knocked down a bit based on the computerized metrics (i.e. RPI).

The CNR now features 18 different elements in the formula, reflecting the use of more computerized ratings that in some cases results in certain teams being slotted lower than their standing within the human polls.

Florida – the CNR preseason #1 – has jumped up from the No. 7 position a week ago, thanks to a series win over then-#4 Arkansas, followed by a midweek victory over arch-rival [9] Florida State.

Stanford was idle a week ago and has bumped up one spot, from No. 3. Ole Miss has dropped one position to No. 3, after winning a series, 2-1, at [11] Texas A&M and adding a quality midweek win over [15] Southern Miss.

Texas Tech – which recently spent two weeks atop the CNR – has moved up two spots from No. 6, after sweeping a 4-game home series vs. [49] Northeastern. Oregon State had been No. 1 in the CNR a week ago, before winning 2-of-3 vs. Washington (a team outside the CNR Top-50).

Elsewhere in the current top-10, FSU has moved up three spots to No. 6, while Arkansas slipped from #4 to #7 following the pair of losses to Ole Miss. Current #8 Auburn is down three spots after losing 2-of-3 at Kentucky, which has vaulted back into the top-10 (#14 to #9). North Carolina State remains in the CNR 10th position.

Vanderbilt (#8 to #14) has slipped outside the current top-10, after winning 2-of-3 vs. [19] LSU but then losing a midweek battle vs. crosstown rival Lipscomb, at minor-league First Tennessee Park.

• Top-10/Top-16:– The SEC accounts for half of the CNR current top-10, followed by two teams each from the Pac-12 and ACC, plus the Big 12’s Texas Tech. Expanding out to the current top-16 (i.e. forecasted NCAA Regional top seeds/hosts), the breakdown includes: 7 SEC, 3 ACC, 3 Pac-12, 1 Big 12, 1 Conference USA and 1 from the American Athletic Conference.

• Coming & Going– Four teams have returned to the CNR Top–50: [26] San Diego State, [42] Oklahoma, [46] Missouri State & [47] Minnesota … while Hawaii, Virginia, South Alabama and Southeastern Louisiana all have slipped outside the Top–50 in the current update … UVa (preseason #16) and South Alabama (initial #22) had been in the CNR Top–50 all season, prior to this week’s update.

• Top-10 Regulars – Only three teams have been in the CNR Top–10 all season: Florida (1-2-3-4-8-7-1), Texas Tech (3-3-2-1-1-6-4) and Oregon State (2-1-1-2-2-1-5).

• Quick Climbers – Clemson was #18 in the preseason CNR but has climbed as high as #4 (now #11) … Ole Miss similarly climbed from #20 to its current #3 (after a week at #2) while Auburn’s strong start has boosted the Tigers from #36 in the preseason CNR to a top-10 position for each of the past four weeks (now #8). NC State opened the season at #24 in the CNR but has spent the past two weeks at #10.

• That’s Why They Play The Games – 21 of the teams in the current CNR Top–50 were not in the preseason Top–50, most notably current #15 East Carolina along with [18] Wichita State, [21] Georgia and [25] Illinois. There are 11 other current top-40 teams that were not among the CNR preseason Top–50: [28] UNLV, [29] Missouri, [30] Stetson, [31] College of Charleston, [33] Tennessee Tech, [34] Louisiana Tech, [35] Florida Atlantic, [37] South Florida, [38] Creighton, [39] Troy and [40] Baylor … six other teams currently in the 41-50 range likewise were not CNR preseason Top–50 squads: [41] Ohio State, [43] Indiana State, [45] Alabama, [47] Minnesota, [49] Oregon and [50] Northeastern.

COMPOSITE NATIONAL RANKINGS (CNR) CRITERIA: Teams receive points based on their standings in each poll/rating/projection (60 pts for #1; 59 for #2, etc.). For polls involving voting points (coaches and CB) and the various RPI-type ratings, the CNR adjusts to reward teams that have larger margins in the voting/point totals (whereas two teams with nearly the same voting-point total will be closer in the CNR allotment for that poll). Note that strength-of-schedule typically is factored into RPI formulations … thus the actual SOS numbers only are used early in the season (SOS are not used in the CNR when RPI already are in the mix). For the NCAA field projections, teams are awarded CNR points based on their respective seedings, “last in” and “last out,” etc.

The polls/ratings/projections are averaged, with 40 points typically then added to each total in order to yield the 100-point benchmark. Early in the season (projected SOS; and preseason conference coaches polls) and late in the season (final-10 games), a maximum bonus/penalty of 2.0 (SOS & conf. poll) or 0.5 points (final-10) is factored into the formula (in that case, 38.0, or 39.5, rather than 40, is added to the poll/rating/projection avg.).
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